Worth getting tested for 'sticky blood'??

[Isa84]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on getting the tests done for 'sticky blood' otherwise known as Thrombophilia/Antiphospholipid syndrome?? I really don't know whether to pay privately to have them done because it is expensive and I think will cost around £600-£800 and I know I wont be able to get tested on the NHS because I don't meet the criteria for the test of having 3 miscarriages.

I'm concerned about it because I had 3 implantation failures with my IVF (I had good graded day5 blastocysts and everything went well) and also a miscarriage at around 7 weeks after getting pregnant naturally. I was also taking low dose aspirin when I got pregnant and I wondered if that had helped but if I did have this blood condition then the low dose aspirin wouldn't have been enough to have a healthy pregnancy and prevent miscarriage.

It's playing on my mind everyday, do I pay more money to get this test or is it unlikely that I have it and 3 IVF failures and 1 miscarriage are not uncommon. When I had my scan when I was told I would miscarry the DR described 'blood clots' in my womb and this also made me think of the condition.

Anyone else have this condition or have any advice?

thanks x

[anna0908]

Our consultant recommended full thrombophilia screen along with other tests after 2 failed cycles. Our gp did do one for us but lab rejected it! The fertility clinic wanted to charge us 700, so I shopped around and got it done at nuffield for 200. However, I would of thought with your history you might get it through nhs? I'm surprised your clinic haven't suggested it with three ivf failures and a miscarriage. Can you talk to them? My consultant gave me a list of tests he thought I should have and to ask gp to do as many as they were willing? Or if your fertility consultant is nhs, they might do it directly? Worth a try before shelling out money x

[Isa84 in reply to anna0908]

Thanks so much for your advice. I have an appointment booked to see my GP so I'll see if they can do any for me.

Yeah I said about it to my consultant at the clinic after the 3 failed cycles and he said he didn't think I needed tested just yet but I really think it would be worth having it done.

I'll see what the GP says,

Thanks so much

[sum1sweeta]

Hi, sorry to hear about your loses, I know it's not easy. When I had my second miscarriage via icsi, my if consultant referred me to the miscarriage clinic at Liverpool women's, they done a full blood screening including lupus. My results came back as positive ( low level) for sticky blood cells. I have been recommended to take asprin and double dose of folic acid. They said this will increase my pregnancy continuing to full term by 80%. Doctors don't usually like to give you tests unless you have had 3 miscarriages, the clinic I'm with were great with me. You could ask your consultant to refer you. Good luck x

[Isa84 in reply to sum1sweeta]

Thank you, I'll speak to my consultant and see what he says and if he will refer me. It's all a bit complicated with regards to this test. Do you take low or high dose aspirin? do you also need to take heparin? It is definitely something worth knowing if you can increase the odds or having a healthy pregnancy by 80%. I'm sorry for your losses as well, it's a very difficult thing to go through.

Thanks for your advice x

[sum1sweeta in reply to Isa84]

Yes its definitely worth pushing for the test, I've just been told to take baby aspirin 75mg, to start on a positive pregnancy test. I suppose people are prescribed different medication depending on there symptoms etc. I have a friend who was advised to take heprin. X

[Hollibob]

I would ask your GP if they can test your blood for clotting problems following the comments about the clots...

The Nuffield offer a thrombophilia profile test for £210 and it had around 10 things listed in it which is similar to what some recurrent miscarriage clinics do.

[shell1402]

I have had 2 miscarriages my doctor agreed to do them on nhs they have all come back clear but I would of paid of they didn't agree as it's put my mind at rest

[Tlove]

I was tested after 2 early losses because I didn't have any previous children. If you have a child already, they only test after 3. This was the policy at my hospital. I tested positive for Hughes and then they retested some weeks later to confirm it. I have the anti cardiolipin antibodies, so with this being positive twice along with the miscarriage history, I was diagnosed. I was on high dose folic acid, 75 mg aspirin, 4500iu heparin for the duration of pregnancy and it worked! I also have hypothyroidism, which apparently can go hand in hand with Hughes, so I'm on eltroxin for life for that as well. I would say it's worth testing for. It breaks my heart even now when I think my previous miscarriages could have been prevented if I had known about this. There is a Hughes board on here as well, maybe worth taking a look at the posts on there.

I know some ladies have been talking on here about Tommy's miscarriage clinic - maybe worth looking into?